


a lamb for each household

by Ford_Ye_Fiji



Series: and love will be your teacher [13]
Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Angst, Fluff, Gen, Hints at Maiko, Hurt/Comfort, Shenanigans, and then angst, and then angst again, and then fluff, but not too much, i pinwheel wildly back and forth, mostly just quiet teasing, that’s all this is, there is no in between
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-14
Updated: 2019-11-14
Packaged: 2021-01-30 10:03:46
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,682
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21426412
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Ford_Ye_Fiji/pseuds/Ford_Ye_Fiji
Summary: The fire squad figures themselves out.
Series: and love will be your teacher [13]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1511504
Comments: 22
Kudos: 954
Collections: Finished111





	a lamb for each household

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry this took so long! I’m sick and feeling awful so when I get home from work and stuff I mainly just collapse on the couch in a pile of misery instead of actually doing things XD

Zuko flopped off of the cramped Komodo rhino, too tired to move from where he gently fell on the grass, "We should’ve brought another one."

Azula huffed, offended, "Well, I did the best I could, dum-dum. I didn’t see you helping out any."

Zuko muttered into the grass, "Because I was in prison."

Ty Lee bounded off their tired mount and did a flip before she landed, "I don’t know about you guys, but I’m ready to go!"

Mai groaned, "Ugh, since you’re so energetic, maybe you can set up the campfire."

Ty Lee tapped her chin, "Naw, I think a firebender would be better at that."

The four children were all exhausted after the long day of riding. As soon as they’d left the capitol, they’d set off into Fire Nation wilderness, trying to put as much distance between them as possible. Zuko had no idea where they were, other than far _far_ away from civilization.

They slowly dragged themselves into setting up their camp. The campfire was the easy part, courtesy of Azula, and Mai had at least thought to bring provisions and sleeping bags, but there didn’t seem to be a tent. Not that it would’ve fit in the already stuffed saddlebags anyway.

Zuko was too tired to worry about what do if it rained. His ribs hurt too much to move anymore.

They lay on their hastily spread sleeping bags, munching on cold jerky and watching the stars come out. Zuko breathed and then asked in the silence, finally processing their whole hectic escape, "Wait... Mai and Ty Lee, will you be able to go home?"

Mai shrugged to his right, "Probably not."

Azula at Zuko’s left snorted, "Don't worry, Zuzu. They wanted to come."

Ty Lee piped up from Azula's left, clearly excited, "I've always wanted to run away and join the circus! But this is fine too."

Mai hummed, "This is way more exciting than whatever mother and father had planned." She added quietly, "Besides, I wouldn’t have wanted Zuko's metaphorical burning apple to hurt him."

Zuko flushed, ears burning, "That- that was two years ago!"

Azula cackled.

Mai shrugged, almost sullen, “Well _I_ remembered it."

Zuko muttered quietly, “...Thanks."

Azula sat up, "I’m sorry, what was that Zuzu?"

Zuko lifted his head, snapping, "Thank you!" He huffed when he spotted Azula's smirk.

She laid back down, satisfied with her brother's mild annoyance. Mai broke Zuko's sulk with a quiet thoughtful, "What are we going to do now?"

Azula frowned in the dim light of the campfire, "I don’t know."

Ty Lee spoke up, "Maybe it'll be like a permanent vacation! We can get out of the fire nation and explore!"

"No, Ty Lee, we can’t do a forever vacation." Azula said as if it were obvious, "We have to get revenge against my father eventually."

Zuko sighed, "I don’t know about revenge."

Azula sat up again, eyes blazing in the firelight, "Why not? He killed Uncle Iroh! He probably killed mother!"

"What? What happened to mother?"

Azula looked away, drawing her knees up to her chest. Zuko murmured, half afraid about what she was going to say, "Azula?"

"No one has seen mother since before the assassination. Father said she left because of how dangerous the palace was." She hissed bitterly, "He’s lying though. Mother would never. He’s done something to her. I don’t know what."

Zuko was quiet.

Mai murmured, "Zuko...?"

"I’m going to bed."

The prince rolled over and shut his eyes, trying to cry. First Iroh and then his eye and now mother. What more would Ozai take from him?

* * *

Azula perched on top of the Komodo rhino and Ty Lee tied the last of their saddlebags down. She grinned, "I know where we're going to hide out."

Zuko blinked as he scrambled up behind his sister, "Where?"

"Ember island!"

"Aw, what, why?"

Mai followed Zuko, nearly falling, but being steadied by the young prince, "Why would we go there? It’s hot. And sandy."

Ty Lee chirped, nimble fingers quickly braiding her hair, "I think that sounds like a great idea, Azula!"

Zuko frowned.

Azula lifted an eyebrow, tossing her loose hair away from her eyes, "Well, where do you think we should go, Zuko?"

He shrugged, "I don’t know. I just..." He hunched his shoulders, "I feel like we should be looking for..." his eyebrow scrunched, "I don’t know. Something."

"Something? That’s all you’ve got?"

Zuko crossed his arms defensively, "I don’t know. Just forget it!"

Azula sighed, "Well, what do you guys think?"

Mai shrugged.

Ty Lee smiled shyly, "I like ember island!"

Azula grinned, "Then ember island it is!"

* * *

Zuko cupped his hands around the fire, blowing carefully into the pile of sticks, coaxing the flame to life.

Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula sat over by the Komodo rhino, whispering quietly to each other as they settled in for the night.

He looked up as he heard footsteps approaching. Azula sat down beside him and he glanced at her, straightening, "What?"

She handed him a small cloth wrapped object and shrugged as he took it carefully and began unwrapping it, "I grabbed some things I thought we'd need before we left."

Zuko's eye widened as the cloth fell away to reveal a familiar dagger handle. His eye welled up with tears, mouth trembling. Iroh's gift. He unsheathed the dagger, the inscription glimmering in the firelight. '_Never give up without a fight._'

He rubbed at his eye, trying to scrub away his tears, "I’m not going to give up. I’m going restore the fire nation's honor, just like father tried too."

Azula felt like rolling her eyes at her brother's dramatics and patted his arm sympathetically, "I know you won’t, Zuzu. If there’s one thing I know about you, it that’s you never give up."

Zuko murmured, the tears falling in earnest despite his best efforts, "I failed. But I won’t give up." He looked at his sister, one golden eye bright against the night, the other one burnt and blackened, hidden away behind a bandage, "I’ll _never_ give up."

Azula swallowed. She knew he wouldn’t. Even if it killed him, he’d push forward anyways, all under the guise of doing the best most honorable thing for his people and for those he loved.

Ozai was weak compared to Zuko. She didn’t know how she hadn’t seen it earlier. Mother _had_ been right all along.

Love was far more powerful than fear.

* * *

Ty Lee perused the map from her seat on the long-suffering Komodo rhino's head, "We'll have to catch a ship, but other than that, I’d say we're about a week away from the closest port!"

Zuko sighed, "We can’t just go on a vacation." He threw his hands up into the air, "We need to do something!" He winced, hissing as the sudden movement jarred his ribs.

Mai scoffed from behind him, "Sure. You can just go and challenge Ozai to an Agni Kai and get your face burned off again." Ty Lee winced. Zuko huffed, almost sulking, "Well I might've had a better chance if I wasn’t tied up when he did it."

It was Mai's turn to wince but she continued anyway, "Yeah well, you can’t keep complaining about your stupid ribs and then in the next sentence talk about beating up the Fire Lord. We need to get our bearings."

Azula laughed without any amusement, "She's got you Zuzu."

Zuko sulked, brows softening as his thoughts turned to darker things, such as Iroh- his breath hitched and he bit his lip. He would not think of him yet. Not here, not now. Another thought occurred and Zuko sighed, "Maybe Ozai was right."

Azula nearly choked on her incredulity, "What?"

Zuko shrugged, "I don’t know. Maybe Ozai was right. Maybe Iroh would still be alive if it... if it wasn’t for everything. Maybe if I’d gone back to him, I could’ve- I could’ve warned him."

Azula scoffed, utterly disgusted, flicking the reins of the Komodo rhino, "Don't be a dum-dum, Zuko." She craned her neck, trying to see around Ty Lee still perched cross-legged on the Komodo rhino's head, "You would’ve changed nothing, believe me. I know father. He would’ve killed Uncle Iroh eventually or done away with him somehow." She tossed her hair, Zuko sputtering as she hit his face. She glanced back at him, raising an eyebrow, "Then he would’ve found a way to make sure I was his successor and not you."

She shrugged, "This is the way it is. There’s no use in second guessing yourself all the time, Zuzu."

Zuko blinked, "Oh."

Mai's grip tightened around Zuko's waist, "She's right you know."

Zuko nodded, more than a little surprised, "Yeah, I know."

* * *

Ty Lee bounced upwards, doing a handstand as she watched her friends stretch and yawn widely. She landed with a thump, "Alright first order of business!" They all stared at her as she continued joyfully, "We need to come up with a name for our new friend!" She patted the Komodo rhino's snout happily.

Mai blinked slowly, "I don’t care. You name it whatever you want."

Zuko turned pink for some reason and tripped over unloading the saddlebags. Azula huffed, "Why does it need a name?"

"Because he’s doing all the hard work! Aren’t you, you big grumpy Komodo rhino? Yes you are!"

Zuko coughed, "It’s a girl."

Ty Lee frowned, "How did you know that?"

Zuko pointed at the Komodo rhino's left flank, "See these markings? I’ve- uh- I’ve um. I’ve been to the stables before. I recognized her."

Ty Lee brightened, "Really? What’s her name?"

Zuko shrugged, "The Fire Nation doesn't name the Komodo rhinos, Ty Lee." His ear were a bright red, however. Azula eyed him carefully and then her lips pulled into a delighted grin. She purred, "Oh, I’m sure the _fire nation_ doesn’t. But I think the _crown prince_ did."

Zuko reddened, "What? No- I- I didn’t! I didn’t name it!"

Mai seemed curious now, divesting their mount of the last of its trappings, "What did you name it?"

"I didn’t!"

Azula put her hands on her hips, "What did you name it, Zuzu?"

Zuko flushed under their stares and then muttered something unintelligible into his chest. Azula cupped a hand over her ear, "What was that Zuzu?"

He snapped, "I said I named her Princess Cuddlemuffins, okay? It’s not my fault! She just gets very friendly sometimes, okay!"

Azula cackled, "Cuddlemuffins? Oh, that’s great!"

Ty Lee cooed, "Awwww, that’s adorable!" She scratched under the Komodo rhino's chin, "You’re just a giant cuddle muffin aren’t you Princess, huh?" The Komodo rhino rumbled welcomingly and decided to sit, flopping over to give Ty Lee better access. The girl blinked before laughing delightedly, "Aw, you’re the best girl!"

Azula was still laughing and Zuko muttered bitterly, "She likes being scratched between her horns." He stomped away, presumably to find firewood.

Mai huffed at Azula, "Well I thought it was a cute name, Azula."

Azula snickered, wiping at the tears in her eyes, "That’s because you like him."

Mai's ears reddened, "Shut up!"

She stomped away as well, very pointedly in the opposite direction.

Azula seemed to find her reaction just as funny as her brother's.

Ty Lee continued fawning over Princess Cuddlemuffins, "Aw! Who’s the best Komodo rhino? You are! You are!"

Princess Cuddlemuffins snorted appreciatively.

* * *

Zuko carefully stripped the bandage away from his face. He hissed as he tossed the soiled cloth away from him. He peered to stare into the river, eye widening at what he saw. He winced at angry raw red skin, three week old blisters just starting to heal, ravaged blood vessels, and ruined skin. He concentrated, trying to open his swollen left eye. It stubbornly remained a closed slit.

He felt like his face should be hurting more than the dull throb around the edge of the affected area. Though, he remembered something mother had told him once, that sometimes a severe burn destroyed all feeling in the area. Maybe that’s why it didn’t hurt as badly as it should.

He sighed and pulled out the burn cream Ty Lee had smuggled into the bags. He’d asked her about it and the girl had just shrugged her shoulders and said she’d figured he’d need it. It was surprisingly thoughtful.

He twisted his head and winced as he caught sight of his mutilated ear, the angry red disappearing into his patchy hair. He really should cut it. He didn’t like the thought of cutting off his Phoenix tail though. Maybe he could just cut off everything around it? That might work. His Phoenix tail was a reminder of home, that he was still prince Zuko and not some dirty child who’d clearly been living a week on the road with a stolen Komodo rhino.

Zuko sighed and tied a new bandage over his eye. He didn’t want to look at it anymore.

Zuko returned to the campsite only to be greeted with a strange sight. Ty Lee had turned her familiar braid into two pigtails. Mai had let down her long dark hair which Azula was currently weaving into a thick braid.

He frowned, "What’s going on?"

Ty Lee jumped up, pigtails bouncing, "Disguises, silly!" Azula shot over her shoulder, clarifying, "If we're catching a ship to Ember Island we'll need disguises."

Zuko scratched his head, "Oh."

Ty Lee preened, "I’m going as Azula's free spirited little sister. Don’t I look great?"

"Uhhh... sure."

Azula rolled her eyes, "You, of course, are just going to be my brother. We're going to visit our uncle for a vacation on ember island. That’s the official story."

Mai nodded, "And I-“

Ty Lee spoke over whatever Mai had been going to say, "And Mai is going to be your girlfriend! Isn’t young love just adorable?"

Zuko flushed and spoke at the same time Mai exclaimed with outrage, "_What?_"

Azula smirked, "Yes, thank you, Ty Lee. I told you Zuko and Mai don't look enough alike to be family."

Mai ground out, "Maybe we're _cousins_, Azula. Ever think of _that?_"

Azula tied off the braid, "Nope. Cousins require fleshing out an extended family and I don’t have time to figure out that much backstory." She stood, ignoring both her brother's and Mai's indignant splutters, "Now, Zuzu. It’s time to do something about your hair."

He froze, "What?"

Azula eyed him critically, "It’s all messy. You’re going to have to cut it."

He paled, "Please don't cut my Phoenix tail!"

Ty Lee frowned, "Why not? Wouldn’t it better if it all grew in at once?"

Mai was still sulking, "My boyfriend isn’t going to be _bald_."

Azula scoffed, "It’ll grow back. _If_ we cut all of it."

Zuko gulped.

* * *

The captain of the ship they were seeking passage on, Po if they remembered correctly, eyed them carefully, "A vacation?"

Azula nodded, putting on her best people pleasing smile. It came out warped and utterly disconcerting, "Yes, sir."

Ty Lee laughed nervously from beside her, "Yeah! We're really excited! Mom and Dad gave us money for the trip and everything!"

Captain Po rubbed his bushy beard and stared, "And they sent you alone on Komodo rhino back all the way from the capitol?"

Ty Lee nodded, "Because of the assassination. They felt it was too dangerous." Azula grinned, sweating.

The captain's eyes drifted over to Mai, who looked utterly bored. Zuko glowered at him, holding Mai's hand. The captain frowned, "What happened to your eye, son?"

Mai answered without a beat, "My boyfriend had a cooking accident. He can be very clumsy." Zuko's eyes narrowed at Mai. She pointedly didn’t look at him. She was still mad. 

The captain sighed, eyeing the small angry bald child glaring at him, "Son, I don’t know who cut your hair, but you need your money back."

Zuko scowled.

Azula smirked and whispered as Captain Po took the last of their money and lumbered away, "I told you we should've cut the Phoenix tail."

Zuko knew it was childish, but he stuck out his tongue at her anyway.

Mai actually snickered.

**Author's Note:**

> My tumblr is here!! https://ford-ye-fiji.tumblr.com/


End file.
